Latching device



NOV. 3, 1936. 5 NORTH 2,59,4?9

LATCHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1935 Edam Mmfz IN VEN TOR.

BY f/ u 6 7 MS ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 3, 1936 LATCHING DEVICE Edwin North, Rockford, n1., assignor to National 111., a corporation of Illi- Lock 00., Rockford, nois Application February 20, 1935,. Serial No. 1,387

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a latching device.

. It is an object of, this invention to provide animproved latching device which is relatively simpie and inexpensive in construction and efl'lcient in use.

Another object ofthis invention is-to provide an improved door latching device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device for latching g oven doors or other stove oven doors, and whch is so constructed that it is responsive to, and automatical ly becomes unlatchedby, the gas pressure ilnside the oven if the said gas pressure,ifor any reason, rises above a predetermined safety point.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and'arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred form of constructionand in which:

Fig. l. is a fragmentary perspective view of a gas stove showing a preferred form of the new latching device associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the new latching device, on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, showing the parts in latched position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in unlatched position;

Fig.4 is a bottom plan view, on line 4-4 in Fig-2;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the latching device on line 6-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view, partly in section, on line 6+8 in Fig. 5.

A preferred form of the new latching device is shown in the drawing, is therein generally indicated at I0, and is shown in conjunction with a gas stove H which includes an oven l2 provided with a door 13.

The new latching device I'll includes a support or flange l4 which projects laterally or forwardly from the oven door i3, this flange it having a depending skirt 34 (Fig. 2). Slidably projected 4 through an opening formed in the skirt 34 of the flange I4 is a plunger or actuating member it,

which has a handle portion ii.

The inner end portion l8 of this plunger or actuating member 5' is slidably projected into an opening it which is *formed in a plate 39 which is attached to the oven door H3; at the front thereof, and the inner end portion Id of the plunger or actuating member i6 is adapted to engage against a nose or cam portion 32 of a latch-operating member 20 which is pivotally mounted upon a shaft or pintle 2i, in a pocket or' recess 22 which is provided in the oven door l3. Provided on the plunger or actuating member I6 is an annular flange 33.

The latch-operating member 20 is pivotally connected, as at 23, to the lower end portion of spaced links M and these links 24 are pivotally connected at their upper ends, as at i 5, to a male latch element or bolt 26; the male latch element or bolt 26 being pivotally mounted at one end, as at 2i, in the pocket 22, on the inner side of the front face of the oven door l3.

Formed in the stationary wall 35 of the oven door i3 is'a recess or keeper or female latch element 28 and the male latch element or bolt 26 has a latching head or end portion 29 which is engageable in the recess or keeper 28 and is normally urged into latching engagement with the female latch element or recess or keeper 28 by the action of a spring at which is arranged upon the shaft Operation The spring 3i normally acts upon the member 20 to urge the latter in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby urging the nose or cam portion 32 of the latch-operating member 22 into engagement with the inner end portion of the plunger it, so as to force the latter outwardly relative to the oven door, (right to left, Figs. 2 and 3), the outward movement of the plunger it being limited by the engagement of the flange it formed thereon with the depending skirt it of the flange it.

This action of the spring at in urging the member 2% (counterclockwise, Figs. 2 and 3) into engagement with the inner "end of the plunger it also acts, through the links 2%, to urge the male latch element or bolt 26 in a counterclockwise dlrection, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby forcing the latching head 29 on the male latch element or bolt 26 into latching engagement with the recessed portion or female latch element or keeper 28 which is formed in the wall 35 of the oven door it.

In order to unlatch the male latch element or bolt 26 from latching engagement with the female latch element or recess or keeper 28, so

as to open the oven door It, the operator pushes inwardly (left to right, Figs. 2 and 3) upon the plunger .or actuating member l6, whereupon the inner end portion it of the plunger it engages the cam portion or nose 32 of the latch-operating member 20 and therebypivotsthe latter (clockwise, Figs. 2 and 3, from the position of Fig. 2 into the position of Fig. 3). This motion of the latchoperating member 20 acts through the links 24 to pivot the male latch element or bolt '26 (clockwise, Figs. 2 and 3, from the position of Fig. 2 into the position of Fig. 3), thereby withdrawing the head portion 29 of the male latch element or bolt 26 out of latching engagement with the recess or female latch element or keeper 28 so that the oven door l3 may be opened.

The latching engagement of the head portion 2! of the male latch element or bolt 26 with the keeper 28 prevents the oven door from being opened by normal or safe gas pressures in the oven l2 but if, for any reason, the gas pressure in the oven l2 should rise above a predetermined pressure or safety point such as, for example, 30 pounds per square inch, the outward pressure or force exerted upon the oven door I3 (right to left Figs. 2 and 3) will act upon the latch member or bolt 2629 to pivot the same (clockwise Figs. 2 and 3) so that the head 29 of the male latch element or bolt 26 will pass the retaining wall or keeper 36, thereby permitting the oven door l3 to pivot (counter-clockwise, Figs. 2 and 3) into open position, and thus preventing the gas pressure in the oven from rising to a point where danger of explosion might result; it being noted that the retaining wall or keeper 36 is rounded to permit the head 29 of the male latch element or bolt 26 to move around or past the same gradually under the action of the force exerted thereon by the pressure of the gas in the oven.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eflect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A latch structure for a gas stove door comprising a recessed keeper plate associated with a wall portion of a gas stove with which the door is associated, a latch member pivotally supported by the door and including a latch head engageable in the recess and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when a predetermined pressure is applied to the door in one direction, an operated member pivotally carried by the door and including a cam head, a link member providing a connection between the latch member and the operated member, said link member having connection with the operating member at a point substantially spaced from the cam head, a plunger exterior of the door and movable into engagement with the cam head for pivoting the operated member in a direction to cause the link member to pivot the latch member from latched engagement with the recess of the keeper plate, and spring means for pivoting the operated member in an opposite direction to dispose the latch member in latched engagement with respect to the recess of said keeper plate, substantially as described.

EDWIN NORTH. 

